Dinamo announced their Champions League playoff against Viking with a convincing 5-0 victory over Kauno Žalgiris on Wednesday, and coach Mario Kovačević confirmed that the club continues to strengthen. The new name expected to don the blue jersey soon is 24-year-old Russian defensive midfielder Kirill Kravtsov, a former player of Zenit and Sochi.
No Barriers to Adaptation in Croatia
The transfer was commented on for the Russian portal RB Sport by Montenegrin scout Jovan Tanasijević, a former player of Moscow's Dinamo, who is confident that Kravtsov will have no problems adapting to his new environment. "Russian players have no issues in Croatia; the two countries share a deep connection. So Kravtsov will have no difficulties either with life in Zagreb or on the pitch and in the dressing room," Tanasijević told RB Sport.
The scout also highlighted that joining Dinamo is an excellent step forward for Kravtsov's career, given the club's ambitions. "For a player, this is a great thing. Dinamo always fights for titles and the Champions League, and in the worst-case scenario, they'll play in the Europa League. A young player will certainly develop there," he added.
Praise for Boban's Strategy
Tanasijević particularly praised Zvonimir Boban's role in securing this deal. "This is fantastic work by Boban, both for Kravtsov and for Russian football," he said. He also commented on the change in Dinamo's transfer policy compared to previous years.
"Dinamo is not the same club as three or four years ago; they're at a slightly lower level. They had issues with transfers and money, but they earned from player sales," Tanasijević analyzed. He explained that the club has shifted focus from bringing in expensive reinforcements to developing their own talents and bringing in foreign players with potential for future profit. "Boban has now shifted focus towards their own academy and foreign players who can later be sold for profit," he concluded.
It is precisely because of this new strategy that Tanasijević believes Kravtsov will get a real chance to prove himself. "He will quickly adapt to the people, life, food, weather conditions, and working conditions," the Montenegrin scout is certain.